Patrick: Weekend grid warnings in Texas show that 'work remains to be done'

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) issued a grid warning this weekend to Texans after multiple generators failed, raising reliability concerns that have been top of mind  since Winter Storm Uri.

"This weekend’s energy conservation warning is another sign that we must  have greater reliability," Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said in a statement. "Since Winter Storm Uri crippled Texas, I have fought for more dispatchable gas-fired energy available on the ERCOT grid. During the last legislative session, I championed replacement of the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) and ERCOT boards. The new members are doing their work, but they must have more power to meet Texas’ needs. Senate Bill 2 and Senate Bill 3 were good first steps but work remains to be done. I will never waiver in my commitment to more reliable Texas power.”

Electric Reliability Council of Texas Interim CEO Brad Jones made a statement Friday on the poor grid conditions facing Texans and asking for curtailed usage to ensure reliability.

"With unseasonably hot weather driving record demand across Texas, ERCOT continues to work closely with the power industry to make sure Texans have the power they need," Jones said. "This afternoon, six power generation facilities tripped offline resulting in the loss of approximately 2,900 MW of electricity. At this time, all generation resources available are operating. We’re asking Texans to conserve power when they can by setting their thermostats to 78 degrees or above and avoiding the usage of large appliances (such as dishwashers, washers and dryers) during peak hours between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. through the weekend."          

According to the ERCOT release, as of 4 P.M. on Friday, performance based on percentage of installed capacity was operating as follows: 66% of thermal power was producing, while 17% of wind and 73% of solar rounded out the renewable performance.             

ERCOT issued a warning earlier this month, citing unseasonably hot weather and planned maintenance outages as the reason for potential grid issues, The Austin Journal reported.

According to the Houston Chronicle, the cost per megawatt hour ran as high as $5,000 Friday afternoon, compared to the normal $30 average cost.         

This is not the first time this year that Houston residents have had to deal with grid instability. Houston energy prices jumped during a weekend earlier this month, with some prices actually exceeding the $5,000 per megawatt hour put in place by ERCOT, the Chronicle reported.

As of Monday morning, Texas had 49,810 outages reported across the state.